Paper container



p 1936- R. K. REED 2,053,298

PAPER CONTAINER Filed Aug. 16, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 8

" INVENTOR.

W /0 Feed A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 8, 1936. R K, ED 2,053,298

PAPER CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1932 TNVENTOR. Kola/2d Weed flaw A TTORN YS.

Patented Sept. 8, 1936 Q I I.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER CONTAINER Roland K. Reed, New York, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Frank C. B. Page, New York, N. Y;. trustee Application August 16, 1932, Serial No. 628,968 29 Claims. (Cl. 229-45) This invention relates to paper containers. entirety includes a. paper bottle having a self- Attempts have been made to provide paper botclosing mouth. The mouth may be formed in a tles adaptable as substitutes for glass bottles in neck portion suitably connected with the main packaging milk and other liquids but these atbody portion. For example, the main body pmtempts have not been altogether successful betion and the neck portion may conveniently be 5 cause of a high percentage of leakers, cost of proformed as one piece. The bottom closure for the duction or other objections. bottle may conveniently be a separate piece suit- It is an object of the present invention to proably secured to-the body portion. In carrying out vlde a paper bottle (using the term bottle" to the invention to what is now considered the best indicate containers in general) that avoids danadvantage, the body portion is substantially cir- 0 ger of leakage; that is handy in use; and that is cular in cross-section at its lower part and polygeconomical to produce. onal at its upper-part. In the embodiment illus- With these general objects in view the inventrated by way of example in Figs. 1-12, the bottle tion consists in the features, combinations, de- 25 has a lower portion 26 that is substantially cirtails of construction and arrangements of parts cular in r s -s ti d an upper pgrtlon 21 15 which will first be described in connection with that i hexagonal in cross-section, a six-sided the accompanying drawings and then more parbottle having been found particularly satisfacticularly pointed out. tory. It is to be understood that in the embodi- In the drawings: ment shown there is no sharp dividing line be- Figure 1 is a p View Of a blank for Producing tween these two portions, the fiat sides of the 20 a bottle in accordance with the invention; hexagon merging gradually into the cylindrical Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line part. of Figure With a bottle having a circular lower portion,

F u 3 is a p pla v ew f a b tt e o a round bottom closure is used and such shape structedin accordance with the invention, showof closure is considered the most practical from 25 ing the mouth approaching closed position; a manufacturing standpoint. Moreover, the bot- Figure 4 is a el v l vi w f he s m tle is circular at that portion which takes the Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line weight and pressure of the contents. The po1ygo Figure onallupper portion is of particular convenience F ur 6 a are pl atory views relating in connection with closing of the bottle mouth 80 to the bottom closure; 1 v hereinafter described.

Figure 3 i a ottom plan view; "According to the invention in/ its entirety, the

Figure 9 is a sectional view (enlarged) through neck portion of the bottle comprises a plurality a modified bottom joint; of panels and pleats, thetpp edge of the neck,

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the closed bottle when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, 35 with clamping means in place; defining a mouth. When the panels are drawn Figure 11 is an elevational view thereof; together to a substantially common central point Figure 12 is an end elevation of the bottle in the pleats close on themselves, whereby the mouth pouring position, with part of the clamping means is self-closing. Irr this connection, it is to be unremoved; derstood that the term self-closing mouth" 40 Figure 13 is a side elevation of the same; means a mouth closed by the material of the bot- Figures 14 and 15 are perspective views of the tle itself, rather than by means of a cap, cover two-part clamping means shown in Figs. 10-13; or other extraneous closure.

Figure 16 is a top plan view of a modified con- Although capable of various constructions, in

struction; that here illustrated as an example, near the 45 Figure 17 is an elevation of the same; and upper end of the bottle is a shoulder 28 conven- Figure 18 is a top plan view of the same with the iently formed by a bend in the paper stock. That mouth partly opened for pouring. portion of the bottle above shoulder 28, and which In the following description the term bottle may be termed the bottle neck, comprises a pluis used for convenience. But it is to be underrality of triangular panels or flutes 34. These 5 stood that the invention is not limited by any panels point inwardly and upwardly and binge narrow meaning of the term and that bottle, as from shoulder 28. Connecting the several panels here used, is intended to include containers in 34 are pleats or folds 32-33,.their common edges r general. 3|, on which they hinge, pointing outwardly.

I fairing to the drawings, the invention in its When the panels and pleats are opened outward- 1y to some such position as appears in Figs. 3 and 4, the top edges of pleats 32, 33 define a starshaped mouth 35. By an inward crimping or gathering of the parts, the upper pointed ends of panels 34 approach a common central point, hinging from shoulder 28. At the same time, pleats 32, 33 close up, i. e. the two sides of each pleat approach one another. In completely closed position, the individual pleats are closed fiat and the several pleats are drawn together with the inner ends of their top edges substantially meeting at a common central point. In this position the mouth 35 is closed and thetop of the bottle presents six radiating closed edges of two-ply stock, two of which appear in Fig. 12. Putting it another way, in this position the top of the bottle comprises a closed pyramid formed by panels 34, with a series of closed folds or pleats extending out from the edges of the pyramid in the nature of fins.

There is provided a bottom closure for the bottle which may conveniently be a separate closure permanently secured to the bottom of the bottle body. As here shown as an example, a disk-like closure 40 having a downturned flange 4| is assembled with the bottle body and the closure flange is secured to the bottom edge of the body by a spinning operation, this step being well known in the art.

In carrying out the invention in its entirety, the overlapping portions of the bottle body and the bottom closureare subjected to a crushing or squeezing operation. Fig. 6 illustrates schematically the parts after the spinning operation. Spun joints of this type have a considerable percentage of leakers due to various causes. For example, a proper lock is destroyed by the inherent spring-back in the material and liquid can work its way around the spiral path formed by the overlapped scroll. Creases frequently are formed in the joint and provide channels through which liquid can escape.

Fig. 7 illustrates schematically one manner of avoiding these faults. As there shown, the overlapped scroll of the joint has been subjected to a squaring pressure that squeezes the joint together and crushes it sufficiently to break down the fibres. As a result, any channels formed by creases are squeezed out or closed up; any springback tendency is destroyed by the breaking down of the fibres; and the path presented to any liquid that may tend to escape is composed of sharp angles, thus preventing leakage.

Fig. 9 illustrates another crushed and squeezed joint. In this case, pressure is applied to the bottom of the scroll, slightly off-center. The resultant chasing action forces the edge of the bottle body well around back of the edge of the 010- sure flange to form a proper lock and there is a further interlock of the parts at the point 42. As in the former case, the fibres are broken down to destroy any spring-back tendency; creases are squeezed out or closed up; and the path for any liquid tending to escape has sharp angles. Moreover, as appears in Fig. 9, all internal air spaces in the scroll are closed up.

With joints such as those described, there is substantially no danger of any leakage at the bottom of the bottle.

The body above described, i. e. the entire container except for the bottom closure, may conveniently be formed from a unitary fiat blank. Figure 1 illustrates, by way of example, a flat blank suitably cut and scored or embossed for forming the bottle above described.

This blank comprises a rectangular portion 45 defined by three out edges and a horizontal score 28. This rectangular portion is set off into a plurality of panels 46 vertical scores start at horizontal score 28 and terminate short of the bottom of the blank, substantially as shown. The number of panels depends on the shape of the desired bottle, there being one extra panel to provide a seam. Thus, for the hexagonal bottle described, seven panels are provided.

Above each panel 46 of the blank is a triangular panel 34. These panels, except those at the ends, are defined by score 28 and oblique scores 48, 49. The triangular panel 34 at one end is defined by scores 28 and 49 and a cut edge of the blank and the panel at the other end is defined by scores 28, 48 and a cut edge of the blank. The apex of each triangle lies in the top edge of the blank which is of zig-zag formation substantially as shown.

In line with vertical scores 41, and conveniently formed as continuations thereof, are scores 3|, extending to the top edge of the blank. These scores 3| set off the area between the several panels 34 into two triangles 32, 33, having their apices lying in horizontal score 28.

In forming the bottle body from the blank described, according to an approved procedure, glue or other suitable adhesive is applied to one end panel 46 and one end panel 34, as indicated by the shading in Fig. l. The blank is then wound on a cylindrical mandrel with the end panels overlapping and is there held until the adhesive sets, This provides a cylindrical tube to which the bottom closure is attached as above described.

With this cylinder in more or less softened condition, for example, just after a paraffining bath, crimping fingers or dies are applied to the top of the cylinder. By this action, the cylinder breaks along scores 41 to take a hexagonal shape, except for the unscored lower portion which remains cylindrical. There is a further break along score 28 and along scores 48, 49, and 3|. As the crimping action is continued, the top portion is gathered inwardly, panels .34 hinging from the shoulder formed by score 28 and triangles 32, 33 forming pleats which hinge at their edges formed by scores 3|.

The crimping or closing operation may be interrupted with the mouth only partly closed, as in Fig. 3, for filling. Thereafter, further crimping action closes up the mouth as above described.

In carrying out the invention in its entirety, the folds and creases above described are set to remove any tendency to spring back. This may be accomplished by making the folds and creases while the container is soft and hot and filling the same with' a cold liquid while still soft and hot. For example, with the bottle described, after the blank has been wound into tubular shape and the bottom closure attached, it is subjected to a. hot paraffin bath. This is a customary step in proofing paper containers for milk and similar contents. While the container is While the container is still soft and hot, milk or perature, e. g. 40", is introduced and the mouth immediately closed. The action of the cold contents on the hot and soft container sets the various folds and creases and removes any spring-back tendency.

by vertical scores 47. These.

other liquid at subnormal tembottle is cool, i. e. at room temperature, a heated die may be used. By such gripping or squeezing of the pleats or folds to close the same tightly at a temperature differential, the pleats are sealed shut, thus sealing the mouth and rendering it substantially airand water-tight.

The invention in its entirety includes means for retaining the mouth in closed position. This may conveniently be accomplished by clamping means comprising clips for gripping the several closed pleats, and in carrying out the invention to what is now considered the best advantage, the clamping means is so constituted as to enable some of the pleats to be released while the remaining pleats are still clamped shut, for a purpose hereinafter referred to. While the clamping means may vary, a construction in which each closed pleat has an individual clip has been found satisfactory. For the hexagonal shape here illustrated as an example, six clip elements are thus provided and these may conveniently be embodied in a two-part clamp. Such a construction is illustrated in Figs. 10-15. One part is a clamp element 53 comprising two alined clip portions 54, 55. The clips of this clamp element are arranged to slip over the top edges of two diametrically alined pleats to grip the same and hold them closed. The clamp element 53 is centrally cut away, as at 56, to straddle the other pleats. The second part is a clamp element 51 having four similar clip portions arranged in X formation for slipping over the remaining pleats to grip the same and hold them closed. This clamp element 51 is centrally cut away, as at 58, to straddle clamp element 53 and the other pleats.

Instead of an individual clip for each pleat, a plurality of pleats may be gripped by a common clip. An example of this type of construction is illustrated in Figs. 16-18. As there shown, two adjacent pleats are drawn together and clamped by a single clip 59. The two diametrically opposite adjacent pleats are similarly drawn together and clamped by a similar single clip 60. The remaining two alined pleats are clamped by a clamping element that is a duplicate of clamp 53.

While the mouth of the bottle sealed as above described is not liable to come open under ordinary handling, the clamping means described positively holds the mouth closed, since the mouth cannot open unless the pleats unfold. Asa result, the bottle may be shipped and otherwise handled without danger of leakage at the mouth. Moreover, the clamping means serves as a protection against the accumulation of dust or dirt on the edges of the mouth.

To remove the contents, the bottle mouth may be opened or partially opened in various ways. The invention in its entirety, however, includes provision for forming a pouring spout. This may be accomplished, for example, by removing part of the clamping means to free one or more pleats and utilizing such pleat or pleats to form a pouring spout.

One method of so obtaining a spout is to cause one of the triangular panels 34 to swing outwardly, the adjacent pleats unfolding and forming,

position of Figs. 12,

with the panel, a pouring spout. Such a method is illustrated in Figs. 10-12. Clamp element 51 is removed, thus releasing two adjacent pleats, e. g. the lowermost pleats as viewed in Figs. 10 and 12. With this particular clamping means the opposite two pleats are also released but that is incidental. Uponan outward movement of the intervening panel 534, the two adjacent pleats open or unfold. Continued movement of the panel results in'a reverse bend along scores or creases 48, 49, the pleats approaching a full open orflat position. In this position, the panel and the adjacent pleats form a pouring spout 63 similar to the spout of a pitcher (Figs. 12, 13).

The formation of this spout may be effected in various ways, for example, by finger pressure or by supplying the panels with a pulling tab.

In using finger pressure, the bottle! may be held in one hand and the two released pleats grasped between the thumb and forefinger jof the other hand. A diverging pressure on the; edges of the two pleats tends to and eventually does flatten out the bends along scores 48, 49, i. e. the bends between the panel .andthe connected sides of the adjacent pleats. As the center line is reached and crossed, the panel starts to pull away. The direction of pressure is now changed, but without the necessity of any shift of the hand. By now squeezing the edges of the pleats toward each other, the pleats open out with fa reverse bend along scores 48, 49 and the parts take the spout During this opening of the spout there is no general opening of the mouth, the latter being prevented by clamp element 53 which maintains the next adjacent pleats at each side of the spout closed. It so happens that the other two pleats are released, as above referred to, but clamp element 53 prevents} any pull or other force that would tend to open them.

There is provided means for pulling out a panel to form the spout above described. Although capable of various constructions, in that shown as an example in Figs. 1-13, one of the panels 34 has a cut-out finger piece or pulling tab 65. This tab is formed in the outer ply of the overlapping panel so that there is no leakage around the cut-out. The spout above described may be formed by pulling out the panel by means of the tab.

A spout such as that described forms a convenient means of removing the contents of the bottle as there is substantially no drip. Moreover, if only part of the contents is removed, the parts forming the spout may be refolded into initial position and the clamp element replaced. While the mouth, after being once thus partly opened and reclosed, is ordinarily not airor liquid-tight, it is sufficiently closed to protect the contents from dirt, dust, etc. while the bottle stands in a refrigerator or the like.

In the embodiment of the clamping means illustrated in Figs. 10-13, all the clips are removable. It will be seen, therefore, that both clamp elements may be removed and the mouth generally opened. But for forming the spout as described, it i: necessary. to have only two adjacent clips removable so as to free two adjacent pleats.

It is possible to form other types of pouring spouts. For example, two alined pleats may be released while the others are held closed. This is illustrated in Figs. 16-18 in which removal of clamp Bl releases the horizontally alined pleats, clips 59 and 60 holding the other pleats closed. By finger pressure applied to the edges of these released pleats, the two pleats may be squeezed open to form a double-ended pouring spout 61. Release of the pressure or a reverse pressure closes these pleats and clamp elements 6| may be replaced. In this case, also, all the clips may be removed, if desired, and the mouth generally opened.

With the bottle above described, there is substantially no danger of leakage at the bottom because of the joint described. The only body seam is a vertical one so there is no horizontal ledge where liquid might tend to work into the overlap. The single seam is relatively wide (Fig. 5) so that there is no danger of the contents breaking down the adhesive to an undue extent. At the top, the mouth is tightly closed so that the bottle may be shipped and otherwise handled without leakage. Not only is the use of extraneous closures avoided, but the mouth is readily opened for removal of the contents and readily closed again if part of the contents is to be retained. In original closed position, moreover, the neck of the bottle presents an interior surface that is substantially a jointless pyramid. As a result, there are no cracks, crevices, ledges or the like where the contents might accumulate. This, in the case of milk, for example, avoids. any unsanitary accumulation of dried milk.

The bottle is capable of economical production, particularly in view of the fact that the entire body, i. e. all the container except the bottom closure, may be formed from a unitary flat blank which may be cut from a paper roll.

What is claimed is: 1

l. A paper container comprising a body portion having a shoulder, a plurality of triangular panels extending upwardly and inwardly from said shoulder and hingedly connected thereto, a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, the panels and pleats being capacitated to be drawn together to close the mouth of the bottle, and retaining means comprising a clip for each of said closed pleats to clamp said pleats closed, part of said clips being removable'to permit the released pleats to open out into a pouring spout while other of said clips remain in clamping position to prevent any general opening of the mouth.

2. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck separated by a shoulder, the

neck comprising a plurality of triangular panels hinged from the shoulder and connecting pleats capacitated to be drawn together toward a central point to form a self-closing mouth, clamping means for holding said pleats closed comprising clips for gripping the respective pleats, the clips for two adjacent pleats being removable while the clips for the next adjacent pleat at each side of said two pleats remain in clamping position, whereby the said two pleats and the intervening panel may be opened into a pouring spout.

3. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck separated by a shoulder, the neck comprising a plurality of triangular panels hinged from the shoulder and connecting pleats capacitate-d to be drawn together toward a central point to form a self-closing mouth, clamping means for holding said pleats closed comprising j and means for pulling out the panel between said released pleats to cause said panel and pleats to form a pouring spout.

4. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck separated by a shoulder, the neck comprising a plurality of triangular panels hinged from the shoulder and connecting pleats capacitated to be drawn together toward a central point to form a self-closing mouth, clamping means for holding said pleats closed comprising clips for gripping the respective pleats, the clips for two alined pleats being removable to permit said pleats to be spread apart into a double-ended pouring spout while the remaining clips remain in clamping position.

5. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck separated by a shoulder, the neck comprising a plurality of triangular panels hinged from the shoulder and connecting pleats capacitated to be drawn together toward a central point to form a self-closing mouth, clamping means for holding said pleats closed, part of said clamping means being readily removable to permit part of the mouth-forming parts to be opened into a pouring spout while another part of said clamping means remains in clamping position to hold the rest of the mouth closed.

6. A paper container comprising a body portion having a shoulder and a self-closing mouth above said shoulder, the body portion being substantially circular in cross-section at its lower part and polygonal in cross-section at its upper part.

7. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of triangular panels, hinging from said shoulder, and a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common centralpoint, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, wherebysaid mouth is self-closmg.

8. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the body portion being circular in cross-section at the bottom and polygonal in cross-section adjacent said shoulder, the neck portion comprising a triangular panel extending upwardly from each of the sides of said polygon and hinging irom said shoulder, and a plurality of pleats connecting said panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing.

9. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of triangular panels, hinging from said shoulder, a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing, and means for holding said pleats in closed position.

10. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion formed from a unitary flat blank, at least the upper part of the body portion being polygonal in cross-section, the neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels toward a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position, having the general form of a pyramid.

11. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of triangular panels, hinging from said shoulder, a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing, and means for holding said pleats in closed position, at least a part of said holding means being readily removable.

12. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of triangular panels, hinging from said shoulder, a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing, and clips for grasping the several pleats to hold the same closed, the clip for at least one of said pleats being readily removable.

13. A closed paper container comprising a body portion and a neck separated by a shoulder, the neck comprising a plurality of triangular panels forming a pyramid and a plurality of pleats connecting said panels and closed on themselves.

14. A paper container comprising a plurality of triangular panels and connecting pleats, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing.

15. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of triangular panels, hinging from said shoulder, a plurality of pleats connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats, when opened outwardly, defining a mouth, the panels, when moved inwardly until their apices substantially meet at a common central point, substantially forming a pyramid, said pleats, in such position, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing, two adjacent pleats and the intervening panel being capacitated to be opened outwardly to form a pouring spout, and means for holding the remaining pleats closed while said two pleats and one panel are so opened outwardly.

16. A unitary fiat blank for forming a paper container and comprising a rectangular body portion defined at the bottom and sides by the blank edges and at the top by a longitudinal scoring, and an irregular shaped neck portion defined at the bottom by said scoring, at the sides by blank edges and at the top by a zig-zag blank edge, the neck portion having oblique scorings between the high points of said zig-zag edge and said longitudinal scoring, said oblique. scorings and the longitudinal scoring defining a plurality of triangles, and vertical scorings connecting the low points of said zig-zag edge and the longitudinal scoring and bisecting the areas between said triangles.

1'7. A unitary flat blank for forming a paper container and comprising a rectangular body portion defined at the bottom and sides by the blank edges and at the top by a longitudinal scoring, and an irregular shaped neck portion defined at the bottom by said scoring, at the sides by blank edges and at the top by a zig-zag blank edge, the neck portion having oblique scorings between the high points of said zig-zag edge and said longitudinal scoring, said oblique scorings and the longitudinal scoring defining a plurality of triangles, and vertical scorings connecting the low points of said zig-zag edge and the longitudinal scoring and bisecting the areas between said triangles, the body portion having vertical scorings in line with said first-named vertical scorings and extending toward the bottom edge of the blank but terminating short thereof.

18. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position, having the general form of a pyramid.

19. A paper container comprising a body por-' tion, at least the upper part of which is polygonal in cross-section, a panel integrally and hingedly connected with each side of said polygon, and pleats or folds of material integrally and hingedly connecting the several panels, said panels and pleats defining a mouth when opened outwardly, the mouth being self-closing when the panels. are drawn toward a common central point whereby the pleats close on themselves, the. panels in mouth-closing position substantially forming a pyramid. g

20. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position having the general form of a pyramid, and means for retaining the pleats in closed position.

21. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position having the general form of a pyramid, and means for retaining the pleats in closed position, one paneland its adjacent pleats, when freed from said retaining means, being openable outwardly to form a pouring spout.

22. A paper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, the neck portion comprising a plurality of panels hinging from said shoulder and pleats connecting said panels, the top edge of the neck portion defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the several panels, when drawn together, substantially forming a pyramid, the peats, when the panels are so drawn together, being closed on themselves, whereby said mouth is self-closing.

23. Apaper container comprising a body portion and a neck portion separated by a shoulder, at least the upper part of the body portion being hexagonal in cross-section, the neck portion comprising siX triangular panels hinging from said shoulder and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck portion defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the pleats, when the panels are drawn together substantially to a common central point, closing on themselves, whereby the mouth is self-closing, and clamping means for retaining the pleats in closed position comprising a two-ended clip element for gripping two alined pleats and an X- shaped clip element for gripping the remaining four pleats.

24. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position, having the general form of a pyramid, and means for retaining the pleats in closed position, said retaining means being removable as an entirety to permit a general opening of the mouth and part of said retaining means being removable independently of the rest to permit part of the panels and pleats to open into a pouring spout.

25. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, the neck, in mouth-closing position having the general form of a pyramid, and means for retaining said pleats in closed position including a clip for gripping a plurality of closed pleats.

26. A paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels and interconnecting pleats, the top edge of the neck defining a mouth when the panels and pleats are opened outwardly, the mouth being closed by an inward movement of the panels towards a common central point, whereby the pleats close on themselves, and clamping means for holding said pleats closed, part of said clamping-means being readily removable to permit part of the mouthforming parts to be opened into a pouring spout while another part of said clamping means remains in clamping position to hold the rest of the mouth closed.

27. A closed paper container having a neck portion comprising a plurality of panels substantially forming a pyramid and a plurality of interconnecting pleats closed on themselves.

28. A unitary fiat blank for forming a paper container and comprising a rectangular body portion defined at the bottom and sides by blank edges and at the top by a longitudinal scoring, and an irregular shaped neck portion defined at the bottom by said scoring, at the sides by blank edges and at the top by a zig-zag edge, the neck portion having oblique scorings between at least a plurality of the high points of the zig-zag edge and said longitudinal scoring, said oblique scorings and the longitudinal scoring defining triangles, and vertical scorings connecting at least a plurality of the low points of said zig-zag edge and said longitudinal scoring.

29. Clamping means for retaining a paper container closed and comprising a two-part clamp, one part comprising a metal piece bent on itself to form two alined clips joined together at the top and cut away centrally, the second part comprising a metal piece bent on itself to form four clips in X-formation, the several clips being joined together at the top and the X-shaped part being cut away centrally.

ROLAND REED. 

